Why PM Modi held political events despite Abhinandan in captivity

Highlights

PM Modi does not cancel political events on Thursday and Friday despite Wing Commander Abhinandan being in Pakistan's custody

Opposition parties condemn the PM for going ahead with the BJP's political programmes

Defending Narendra Modi, BJP says by that logic Lok Sabha election should not be held

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under severe attack from the opposition parties for, what they called, continuing his political programmes despite heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the Pulwana terror attack and the following air strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF). On Thursday, when Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Abhinandan was in the custody of Pakistan and his fate hanged in balance, PM Modi had a “mega interaction” with BJP workers through video-conferencing from 15,000 locations across the country, creating a record of sorts in the process. It was a purely political programme ‘Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot’ aimed at strengthening the polling booths of the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election in a couple of months. Even on Friday, the day Abhinandan returns from Pakistan to India, Narendra Modi has not cancelled his political programme despite criticisms from the opposition parties. His visits to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh are intact. At both the places, he is scheduled to address public meetings. In fact, even after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, the prime minister went ahead with several programmes. He is reported to have briefly addressed a public meeting at Rudrapur in Uttarakhand by telephone a couple of hours after the suicide attack killing 40 CRPF personnel. The very next day, he flagged off the Vande Bharat Express at New Delhi. Though the Thursday's programme was perhaps the first purely party programme, Narendra Modi has been attending and addressing public meetings since the Pulwama attack took place. He went to Jhansi, Yavatmal in Maharahtra, South Korea, Barauni in Bihar, Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, Varanasi and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and Churu in Rajasthan among others. The BJP has defended PM Modi and justified his decision to go ahead with his political programmes. It has sought to drive home the point that both developmental and political activities should go on as usual despite some hurdles. Talking to TIMESOFINDIA.COM, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said Pakistan is not important enough for India to change India’s agenda and force shutdown of its normal routine. “Hum na rukengey, hum na jhukengey (We will neither stop nor will we bow down),” he said. Shahnawaz Hussain pointed out that trains, flights, markets and offices are open in India and the activities of all political parties are also continuing. He said, “The PM’s activities both for the country and the party must continue. Stopping them would send a wrong message everywhere.” Referring to the demand of the opposition leaders that the PM should have stopped all political programmes, Shahnawaz Hussain said by that logic the Lok Sabha election should not be held. “Should the Election Commission not announce polls?” he said. He said India would not be affected by the hollow threats of Pakistan. It is Pakistan which is panicked and begging for talks with India. Shahnawaz Hussain said, “The difference between the atmosphere in India and Pakistan is that here everything is going on as normal while everything has stopped in the neighbouring country.” He asked, “Did the routine activities in the United States after the 9/11 and in France after the terror attacks stop?” The BJP leader was responding to comments from the opposition leaders such as Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Randeep Singh Surjewala said the PM’s address to his party workers on Thursday was a “glaring case of misplaced priorities”. He alleged that while 132 crore Indians were praying for safe and immediate return of India’s braveheart Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman but Modi was desperate only for re-election. Surjewala pointed out that the party cancelled its important Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting and rally which were scheduled at Ahmedabad on Thursday but Modi went ahead with his political programmes. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were supposed to address public meeting in Ahmedabad but they cancelled it because of the prevailing security situation in the country. Arvind Kejriwal too objected to PM Modi’s political programmes. Because of the tense situation on the borders, he deferred his indefinite hunger strike which was slated to start from Friday to demand full statehood to Delhi.

He said, “Feeling extremely pained Sir. While every Indian is busy strengthening the country and the soldiers, you are busy making the (BJP’s) booths strong. If the country becomes strong, the booth will automatically become strong. If the soldier becomes strong, each and every Indian will become strong.” Weakening the Congress party’s stand against the PM, its own senior party leader and Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is slated to lay the foundation stone of government college in Jalandhar on Friday when Wing Commander Abhinandan returns to India through the Wagah Border in the state.